Origin
McKinney, TX
Evening in McKinney on Monday
Local time
8:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McKinney, TX to Glenn Heights, TX
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
51.6 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McKinney, TX
Wikimedia Commons
Glenn Heights, TX
Alfo Medeiros
Trip Overview
The drive from McKinney, TX to Glenn Heights, TX covers 51.6 miles and takes about 1h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Central Expressway, South R L Thornton Freeway, East Bear Creek Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 29.2 miles on Central Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.49 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Central Expressway | 29.2 mi | 31m |
| South R L Thornton Freeway | 14 mi | 15m |
| East Bear Creek Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| East Virginia Street | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| South Hampton Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Central Expressway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Central Expressway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Canton Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Central Expressway
— 29.2 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McKinney, TX and Glenn Heights, TX.
1
Start on North Tennessee Street
119 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Tennessee Street
2
Turn left onto East Virginia Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
East Virginia Street
3
Turn left onto South Central Expressway
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Central Expressway
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 75 South, TX 121 South
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto US 75; TX 121
29 mi
·
31 min
·
Central Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
501 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 284C
Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway
Use the slight left lane.
7
Continue on North Central Expressway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Central Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Turn right onto Elm Street
304 ft
·
10 sec
·
Elm Street
9
Turn left onto North Pearl Expressway
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Pearl Expressway
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn right onto Young Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Young Street
11
Turn left onto South Harwood Street
315 ft
·
8 sec
·
South Harwood Street
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto Canton Street
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Canton Street
13
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 30 West
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Waco, Denton
15
Keep slight left at fork
221 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 35E South: Waco
Use the left / right lanes.
17
Continue on I 35E
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
18
Continue on I 35E
13 mi
·
14 min
·
South R L Thornton Freeway
Exit 426
Toward Dallas Zoo
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 412
Toward Bear Creek Road
Use the slight right lane.
20
Continue on South Beckley Road
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
South Beckley Road
21
Turn right onto East Bear Creek Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
East Bear Creek Road
22
Turn left onto South Hampton Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Hampton Road
Use the left lane.
23
Arrive at destination
South Hampton Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.8 miles from McKinney, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 48.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward US 75 South, TX 121 South
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 75 South, TX 121 South
8
31.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 284C
Toward Downtown, Good-Latimer Expressway
9
33.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E North, I 35E South: Denton, Waco
7
33.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E South: Waco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward I 35E South: Waco
7
48.1 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward Bear Creek Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 412
Toward Bear Creek Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.49 one way
$14.97 round trip
$3.69/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.08 | $8.29 | $16.59 |
| premium | $4.43 | $9.00 | $18.01 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $11.37 | $22.75 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.44
Central Expressway
(30.5 mi)
$2.44
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.42 | $2.48 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.22 | $3.30 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Glenn Heights, TX
Evening in Glenn Heights on Monday
Local time
8:36 PM
CDT
Current temp
100°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
23 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 3m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
51.6 mi in 1h 3m, mostly highway — 29.2 mi of that is on Central Expressway.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.2 mi on Central Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Central Expressway and South R L Thornton Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.6 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
672 ft
448 ft
Total Climb
399 ft
Total Descent
355 ft
Highest Point
672 ft
~51.6 mi in
Elevation Range
224 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between McKinney, TX and Glenn Heights, TX, road signs point toward Downtown, Denton, Waco and Dallas Zoo.
Downtown
31.5 mi in
|
~36m
Denton
33.5 mi in
|
~40m
Waco
33.6 mi in
|
~40m
Dallas Zoo
34.6 mi in
|
~41m
|
via I 35E
About the Cities
Starting in McKinney, TX
Full guide →Founded 1848
McKinney is a city in the Blackland Prairie region of Texas.
Arriving in Glenn Heights, TX
Full guide →Founded 1969
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 51.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.2 miles on Central Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.44 in tolls one way, starting with Central Expressway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Glenn Heights, TX before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Glenn Heights, TX before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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